Presbyterian Worship: Its Spirit, Method and HistoryJohnston, Robert
Religion
Presbyterian Worship: Its Spirit, Method and History
Johnston, Robert
Presbyterian Church -- Liturgy -- History; Public worship -- Presbyterian Church -- History
who desire in worship to combine simplicity with dignity.
It is evident from these recent and simultaneous movements in so many
branches of the Presbyterian Church, that there exists a feeling on the
part of many that there is need of improvement in the important
department of worship in our public services. It is probable that
there will be found few to deny this, or to confess absolute
satisfaction with the worship of the Church to-day. The question on
which many will hold widely divergent opinions is as to the means to be
adopted for its improvement. Some there are, as in the Church Service
Society, who advocate a prescribed liturgy for at least certain parts
of public worship; others, who desire a liturgy, but who are content to
leave to congregations or to ministers freedom to use it or to
disregard it; still others are loyal to the spirit of the age which
produced the Westminster Directory, while they are at the same time
willing to revise that work, which was found so serviceable to the
Church for so long a period, and so to render it more suitable to the
demands of our own age.
If a judgment may be formed from the movements that have just been
reviewed, it is probable that at least for some time to come, the
Presbyterian Church will continue to walk in the paths that have become
familiar through long usage. The age, it is true, is past when
dictation on this matter, either favoring or condemning a liturgy,
would be suffered; and, therefore, it is to be expected that
congregations will exercise liberty in the matter. Yet, so far as the
general sentiment of the Church is concerned, a sentiment that will
doubtless from time to time find expression in official declarations,
it appears evident that the preponderating feeling is still strongly in
favor of a voluntary worship, unrestricted even by suggested forms.
Conclusion.
"A constant form is a certain way to bring the soul to a cold,
insensible, formal worship."--BAXTER.
Chapter X.
Conclusion.
The foregoing brief review of public worship within those influential
sections of the Presbyterian Church whose attitude on this question has
been examined, affords a sufficient ground for the assertion that those
bodies have shown, until recently, a uniform and steadily growing
suspicion of a liturgical service, even in its most modified form.
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